Fast food has become a staple of the Western diet. Fast food restaurants offer an array of convenient and inexpensive food choices such as pizza, hamburgers, tacos and other items. Fast food restaurants extend beyond the quick take-out hamburger, and chicken places such as McDonald's and KFC. Casual dining restaurants such as Applebees and Pizza Hut are also considered to be fast food restaurants. Having knowledge of fast food nutrition before you go to a fast food restaurant can help you to make healthier food choices for your meal.
Calories
Many fast food choices are high in calories. Eating high-calorie foods can lead to obesity. Calories can add up quickly at fast food restaurants, and some foods that seem that they should be low in calories may actually be very high in calories. For instance, salads are generally considered a low-calorie food; however, when you add dressings, croutons, meat, cheese and other extras, a salad may have more calories than a hamburger. A BLT cobb salad with crispy chicken breast from Wendy's has 670 calories, while a quarter pound single hamburger has only 470 calories. To keep calories low, opt for grilled foods instead of fried, select a side salad instead of french fries, and have water instead of a soda or a milkshake. Go online, or, if the restaurant posts calorie counts on the menu, use the information to make low-calorie choices.
Saturated and Trans Fats
Fast foods tend to be high in saturated fat. Some fast food restaurants also cook their fried foods in trans fats. Trans fats and saturated fats contain cholesterol and play a role in heart disease. The recommended daily intake for saturated fats is less than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake. There is no safe amount for trans fats, according to the Health.gov website. A Jack in the Box sirloin cheeseburger has 897 calories, and 162 of those calories come from saturated fat. That is 18 percent of the hamburger's calories, and nearly double the recommended amount of saturated fat. To lower saturated and trans fats, avoid fried foods, ground beef and pork. Instead, opt for lean choices, such as grilled chicken breast, which has less saturated fat.
Sugar and High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Fast food meals can be high in sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Excess sugar intake can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. A 20-ounce small soda has 62 grams of sugar, which comes from high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup can also be found in hamburger buns, where it is used as a preservative and browning agent, and in many condiments such as ketchup and barbecue sauce. To lower the sugar in a fast food meal, forego the soda and instead have bottled water. Limit your use of condiments and sauces.
Sodium
Sodium in the form of salt adds flavor to foods. Many fast foods are high in sodium. For instance, a Jack in the Box sirloin cheeseburger has 1,872 grams of sodium, which is more than three quarters of the recommended daily intake of 2,400 grams daily. Excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease.
Making Healthy Choices
Most fast food restaurants do offer healthy choices. Select grilled, skinless chicken breast, salads without dressings or high-fat add-ins like bacon and cheese, and bottled water or skim milk. Or, order the smallest hamburger on the menu without cheese, bacon or fatty condiments like mayonnaise. Replace fries with healthy choices such as fruit, yogurt or side salads. Fast food restaurants offer nutrition information both as a brochure in the restaurant and on their websites. Make use of the information to make healthier choices when you dine out.
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